Liz Krueger's Press releases

New York – State Senator Liz Krueger released the following statement today in reaction to a lawsuit filed by the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement (OSE) against the owners of four Manhattan residential buildings accused of operating illegal hotels:

On Wednesday, December 17th, New York State Senator Liz Krueger held a public forum in New York on their Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA; S. 6005 / A. 8341) and the need for marijuana law reform in New York State. The forum was held in the Senate Hearing Room at 250 Broadway in lower Manhattan, mere steps from New York City Hall and NYPD’s headquarters at 1 Police Plaza. The hearing featured testimony from advocates, policy experts, and government officials representing community, law enforcement, health, economic and budgetary perspectives.

Today on the steps of City Hall, breastfeeding mothers and families, lactation professionals and advocates from all over New York City participated in the NYC Breastfeeding Leadership Council Annual Breastfeeding Subway Caravan, joined by Deputy Mayor Lilliam Barrios-Paoli and multiple elected leaders, inlcuding Sen. Krueger. After the rally, the caravan traveled on the “A” train to Bedford-Stuyvesant’s Restoration Plaza for the Brooklyn Alliance for Breastfeeding Empowerment’s (B.A.B.E.) day-long breastfeeding celebration.

“Many new parents and families aren’t aware of just how common maternal depression is, and too often cases go untreated with new mothers and families needlessly suffering,” said Senator Liz Krueger. “This bill will spur greater awareness, early detection, and treatment of maternal depression. Governor Cuomo has my deepest thanks for signing this important legislation today.”

Senator Krueger, City Council Member Laurie A. Cumbo, and Public Advocate Letitia James were joined by a diverse group of advocates and fellow elected leaders on the steps of City Hall to call for passage of the “Boss Bill” (A.8769A / S.6578B), which would strengthen current workplace anti-discrimination laws in New York State, protecting employees’ rights to access reproductive healthcare and services free from employer retaliation. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Krueger and Assemblymember Ellen Jaffee, was passed with bipartisan support in the Assembly during the final week of this year’s legislative session, but was not given a vote by the State Senate.

Sen. Krueger and Assembly Health Committee Chairman Richard Gottfried today announced the unanimous passage of legislation in both the Senate and Assembly that would provide education and promote screening and treatment-referrals for postpartum depression and other maternal depression disorders (S. 7234B / A. 9610B). Despite the widespread nature and severity of maternal depression, our healthcare system has had no system-wide screening and referral procedure.

Sen. Krueger applauded the Assembly's passage today of legislation she sponsors with Assemblymember Ellen Jaffee (D-Suffern) banning employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of their personal reproductive health decisions (A. 8769A / S. 6578B). The bill passed 80-22, with eight Republican members supporting the bill, including Jane Corwin (R-Clarence) who spoke in favor of the bill during floor debate. Sen. Krueger and Assemblymember Jaffee called on the Senate majority’s co-leaders to allow a Senate floor vote on the bill before the close of the 2014 session.

This evening, the New York State Senate passed legislation sponsored by Sen. Krueger to ban workplace sexual harassment of unpaid interns in New York State (S. 5951A). Loopholes in local, state, and federal laws have hampered interns’ attempts to seek redress for sexual harassment through the courts.

Sen. Krueger applauded the Senate Labor Committee’s passage today of her legislation banning employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of their personal reproductive health decisions (S. 6578B). Sen. Krueger called on the Senate majority’s co-leaders to follow up on this positive step by allowing a floor vote on the bill before the close of the 2014 session.

This morning, Sen. Krueger applauded the Senate Investigations & Government Operations Committee’s passage yesterday of her legislation to ban workplace sexual harassment of unpaid interns in New York State (S. 5951A). Loopholes in local, state, and federal laws have hampered interns’ attempts to seek redress for sexual harassment through the courts. Sen. Krueger called upon Senate majority co-leaders Dean Skelos and Jeff Klein to allow a floor vote on the bill, which will be eligible for a vote as early as next week. Earlier this year, the New York City Council led on this issue by passing local legislation sponsored by Councilmember James Vacca (D-Bronx); Sen. Krueger’s legislation would protect interns in workplaces across the entire state.

Sen. Krueger issued the following statement on Acting Supreme Court Justice Gerald Connolly's decision in the litigation between the Attorney General and Airbnb:

"Today's decision gives Airbnb a little time, but it looks like that's all it gives them. Judge Connolly ruled for the Attorney General on every substantive point, save a technical issue with the breadth of the subpoena. I'm no lawyer, but this looks like the definition of a pyrrhic victory for Airbnb."

Sen. Krueger and Assemblymember Crystal Peoples-Stokes (D-Buffalo) today held a public forum at the state Capitol on their Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA; S. 6005 / A. 8341) and the need for marijuana law reform in New York State. The forum was held in Hearing Room A of the Legislative Office Building, and featured testimony from advocates and policy experts representing community, law enforcement, and health policy perspectives.

Sen. Krueger issued the following statement in reaction to today's front-page New York Post story on the use of Airbnb to facilitate floating brothels: "When residential housing ceases to be residential -- via online businesses, like Airbnb, turning residential apartments into illegal, unregulated hotel rooms -- all kinds of undesirable and illegal activity can be brought into a residential building. Prostitution wasn't really at the top of our minds when we passed the 2010 law helping NYC enforce against illegal short-term rentals, but in hindsight it seems kind of obvious.

Sen. Krueger today applauded Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the New York State Gaming Commission, and the New York State Gaming Facility Location Board for their institution of a strong basic home-rule requirement for casino license applications. Sen. Krueger previously introduced legislation with Sen. Cecilia Tkaczyk (D-Duanesburg) to guarantee basic home rule for municipalities on casino siting, as well as requiring respect for local zoning and environmental laws in the casino siting process. This legislation (S. 6433) was supported by a diverse group of newspaper editorial boards both upstate and downstate, including the Albany Times Union, New York Post, Poughkeepsie Journal, and Gloversville Leader-Herald.

In its Request for Applications (RFA) issued yesterday, the Gaming Facility Location Board committed that “[a]s a condition of filing, each applicant must illustrate to the Board's satisfaction that local support has been demonstrated,” and specifically, “local support must be demonstrated through a post-November 5, 2013 vote of the local legislative body of each Host Municipality.”